My whole life (even before I left my corporate job to pursue my dream of becoming a writer), I've been drawn to movies that highlight a journey of self-discovery and give me feel that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from seeing something good happen to someone who really deserves it.

Now that I'm living my own purpose, I'm more driven than ever to help others find their happy too. Movies are an oft-forgotten resource for getting yourself out of the doldrums and finding the motivation to keep striving for what you want. So, next time you need a little pick-me-up, turn to one of these 13 classic films. Their stories might just be the encouragement you need to reach for your dreams with renewed courage and joy tomorrow.

Big Fish

Throughout his life, Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has been a man of big appetites, fierce passions, and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by Albert Finney, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup).

In an effort to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.

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Jerry Maguire

When a sports agent gets fired for expressing his moral epiphany, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent, starting his own company from scratch with the only athlete willing to take a risk on him. It's a heartwarming story that reminds you sometimes the little guy can have big success, even without sacrificing his integrity.

Under the Tuscan Sun

After her marriage falls apart, a writer (played by the charming Diane Lane) goes on a trip to Tuscany, impulsively deciding to buy a villa and build a new life. Learning to release her expectations of herself and other people, she experiences the kind of joy and rebirth most of us forget is at our fingertips.

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It's a Wonderful Life

In this classic holiday film, George Bailey (played by James Stewart), a man who has given up his dreams to help others, begins to lose hope and is on the verge of suicide. An angel (Henry Travers) is sent to earth to show George what the world would be like if he had never been born, and George begins to realize how many lives he changed for the better. If you want a story about redemption and second chances, you can't do much better than It's a Wonderful Life.

Last Holiday

The 2006 American dramedy stars Queen Latifah as a humble store assistant, Georgia, who has lived her life saving for a rainy day, dreaming about all the things she'd love to do but being too scared to actually do them. When a doctor tells her she has a rare brain condition and only a few weeks to live, she decides to blow her savings on the over-the-top trip European vacation she's always dreamed of taking.

Throughout the movie, she astounds people with her zest for life, inspiring others to take more risks and live in the moment. It shouldn't take an expiration date for us to start making the most of the time we have.

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Field of Dreams

A farmer is called to change his life and follow a dream—an inner voice—that guides him to turn his cornfield into a baseball field where extraordinary and magical things happen. On this mystical journey he meets a journalist and a doctor who chooses to give up his baseball career. This is a story of hoping, dreaming, and doing against all odds.

Gorillas in the Mist

A naturalist named Dian Fossey (portrayed by Sigourney Weaver) devotes her life to the study of gorillas, venturing to the Congo, then Rwanda to study them, eventually becoming an advocate against poaching and gorilla tourism. She fights for animals who have no voice, against all odds. The movie's tag line says it all: "At the far ends of the earth, she found a reason to live, and a cause to fight for."

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Patch Adams

In one of Robin Williams' most beloved roles, he portrays real-life doctor Patch Adams—a healer endeared to his patients by his sense of humor and genuine pathos and disparaged by many in the medical community for his unorthodox patient care.

The film paints a heartwarming picture of what it's like to truly live your life in service to others.

The Pursuit of Happyness

Based on the real life of Chris Gardner, this movie stars Will Smith as a single father struggling with homelessness while raising a toddler. I believe it's one of the most heartwarming and motivational movies of all time. The struggles of the father-son duo and his perseverance to follow his dream, even during the toughest of times, will motivate you to keep pursuing your own.

Soul Surfer

Based on the real life of teenage surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm in a gruesome shark attack, this story is one of triumph over life-threatening adversity.

While most people would have never thought of getting back on a surfboard after such an accident, Bethany never gave up on her dream. This movie is a reminder to all of us that no matter what obstacles we have to overcome, we can accomplish anything that we set our minds to.

Ratatouille

Remy (Patton Oswalt), a resident of Paris, appreciates good food, and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to become a chef so he can create and enjoy culinary masterpieces to his heart's delight. Despite the fact that he is, well ... a rat, he never lets that stand in the way of his pie-in-the-sky dream.

Eat, Pray, Love

Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having—a husband, a house, a successful career—yet, like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and still searching for fulfillment.

Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps far, far out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy, the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Indonesia.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny knack for cutting classes, breaking rules, and charming his way out of it. Intending to make one last duck-out before graduation, Ferris calls in sick, "borrows" a Ferrari, and embarks on an epic adventure around Chicago with his closest friends. Ferris reminds us, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Shannon Kaiser

Author, Speaker

Shannon Kaiser is a best-selling author, international speaker, retreat leader, and teacher. Her much-anticipated new book, The Self-Love Experiment, will be released in August 2017.
She’s been named on of the Top 100 Women to Watch in Wellness by mindbodygreen and "One of the freshest voices in mental health and wellness" by Chicken Soup for the Soul. Shannon's the founder of PlayWithTheWorld.com, named one of the Top 75 Personal Development Websites, and Top 100 Self-Help Blogs by the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. Her work has been recognized in media outlets across the globe such as HuffPost Live, Health Magazine, Australian Vogue, Women’s Health, Spirituality &amp; Health, and Entrepreneur magazine. Everything Shannon does is to empower you to believe in and trust yourself, so you can live your ideal life.
Grab a free "Manifest Your Ideal Life" meditation at PlayWithTheWorld.com.
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